Train-order file for locomotive-engineers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. O. UUMINGHAM.

TRAIN ORDER FILE FOR LOGOMOTIVE ENGINEERS.

No. 415,189. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. 0. GUMINGHAM. TRAIN ORDER FILE FOR LOOQMOTIVE ENGINEERS.

Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

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I NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. CUMINGHAM, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS.

TRAIN-ORDER FILE FOR LOCQMOTIVE-ENGINEERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,189, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed March 29, 1889. Serial No. 306,222- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. CUMINGHAM, of Topeka, Shawnee county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Order Files for Locomotive-Engineers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements in letter, order, or bill files having a special adaptation to hold train-orders, but also being equally adapted for generally holding letters, bills, or the like, in commercial houses or business-places; and to these ends the nature of my invention consists of the novel combination of parts and their construction, as will fully appear from the following description and accompanying illustrations, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 shows detail views of the loop or clamp holding or hinging plate and the loops. Fig. 3 is also a perspective view of my invention, showing the clamps or loops extended or thrown out in a longitudinal position; and Fig. t is an end elevation of the same, showing more particularly the duplicate arrangement of the operative parts.

In the embodiment of my invention 1 employ a board or base A, having a suitable suspending device or ring (1 at its upper end, and a handle or downward extension d at its lower end. To the board or base A, a suitable distance below its upper end, is applied, preferably upon each side, a metal plate E, which is secured in place by rivets or other suitable fastenings e epassed through coincident openings in the board or base and in the duplicate plates E, one applied to each side of said board; This plate is in its general form right-angular, the lower horizontal portion F forming a guide for the upper edge of the letter, bill, or order in placing the same in position upon pins, presently referred to.

The plate E is provided atits ends with opposite upward extensions E E, which are formed upon the inner sides with horizontal recesses or bends E E uniting with the board A to form eyes to receive and permit of the hinging or pivoting in position thereon of a clamping loop or frame B of a proximate shape and dimension with the board A in its general outline. This clampingloop or frame has at its lower end a handle K, and at its upper end, intermediately of the extensions E E, a bail or arm a, standing at right angles to the loop or frame, and upon this bail or arm rests or bears a plate-spring D, thus holding the clamping loop or frame in forcible contact with the board or the papers filed thereon. The spring D has its upper or one end secured or fastened to the board A, the same fastening passing through the board and securing the duplicate spring upon the opposite side of the board; also, held in the horizontal recesses or bends E E of the hinging-plate E is a second clamping loop or frame C, which is, however, much shorter than the loop or frame B and rests beneath it. The frame or loop 0 has at its sides projections or handles ff, which are received into recesses or bends ff of the side portions of the frame B, permitting both frames or loops to rest bodily against the board A. The frame or loop 0 is also provided at its upper end, intermediately of the upward extensions E of the plate E, with a bail or arm I), also standing at rightangles to the frame or loop 0 and just below the bail or arm a of the frame or loop B. The purpose of said arm or bail b is to permit the spring D to rest against it and retain the loop or frame C in position when elevated simultaneously with the retention of the loop or frame B in its elevated position, the spring also resting or bearing at the same time against the bail or arm a of the latter loop or frame, as seen in Fig. 3.

H H are pins projecting from the board A a short distance below the plate E, and having their outer ends pointed to permit the ready puncturing or perforating of the letters, bills, or orders as they are filed thereon.

It will be observed that by simply grasping and pressing upward upon the handles f of the loop or frame 0, which effects the preliminary clamping of the letters, orders, or bills at or along their upper edges, both the frame or loop C and the loop or frame B can be raised or adjusted simultaneously or at one operation. After filing a paper upon the pins H the loop or frame 0 is separately lowered, clamping, as above intimated, the papers along the upper edges, the loop or frame B then being lowered, clamping the papers along or around their outer edges effectually against being accidentally detached or displaced by currents of air or other causes.

In consulting or referring to any previouslyfiled paper or order the loop or frame C need not be lifted or elevated, only the loop or frame B being in that case elevated, when any or all of the papers can be readily inspected or examined as required, without displacement, the same being clamped or held in place upon the pins H by the loop or frame 0. V

Upon the opposite side edges of the board or base A are secured sockets or receivers C 0', preferably cylindric in cross-section and formed, it may be, of pieces of suitable metal bent into shape and fastened in place along their longitudinal edges to the board or base, said edges of the board or base being longitudinally recessed or concaved to unite with said metal pieces to form the cylindric bores or chambers of the sockets. These sockets or receivers are designed to hold lead-pencils for convenience in making memoranda or notes when desired.

The above-described operative parts, except the sockets, are duplicated, as already intimated, upon the opposite side of the board, thus increasing or doubling its holding capacity.

This device, it will be seen, is especially useful in cabs of engines or locomotives to contain train-orders, the same being suspended so as to be always in View of the engineer and readily consulted, while no blasts or currents of air entering the cab through the windows or otherwise can displace the papers and cause theirloss; and, further, when" the engineer desires to make a note on an order the pencil is removed from its socket or receiver, where it is retained when not in use, and the depending handle ('1' is grasped in order to hold the file in the proper position to write thereon. The rocking motion of the locomotive would, under ordinary circum-.

stances, prevent the engineer from writing on the file if a handle, as described, were not provided. Furthermore, the sockets or receivers hold the pencils in readiness to be used at all times and prevent them frombeing displaced and lost.

This contrivance, it is obvious, is equally adapted foruse in commercial houses or business-places as well as in offices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a file for orders, letters, or bills, the combination, with a base, of a clamping loop or frame hinged to said base and provided with a bail or arm a, engaged by a suitable spring to hold the loop or frame pressed against the board, andasmaller loop or frame arranged. between the said loop or frame and the base and provided with a bail or arm engaged by the said spring, substantially as specified.

2. In a file for orders, letters, and bills, the combination,with a suitable base, of a hinged loop or frame B, provided with a bail or arm a, at right angles to the plane thereof, the smaller loop or frame 0, arranged between the loop or frame B and the base, and having lateral arms engaged under the side portions of the loop or frame B, and provided with a bail or arm Z), fitting within the bail or arm A, and the plate-spring engaging the said bails or arms to hold the loops or frames in either the same or different positions, substantially as specified.

3. In a train-order file, the combination of the base provided withadepending extension or handle and carrying a spring loop or frame, and the cylindrical sockets or receiverssecured to the side edges of the base to hold pencils, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the base or board, the clamping framesor loops hinged or pivoted to said base or board, and having bails or arms standing at right angles theretoone frame or loop clamping the papers along the upper edges and the other frame or loop clamping them around or along the outer edgesand a spring acting upon said arms or bails, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the base or board, having pins near the upper end, the hanging plate, right-angular in form and provided with recessed upward extensions, the clamping loops or frames-one clamping the papers along the upper edge and the other clamping them along or around the outer edges the spring bearing upon arms or bails of said frames or loops, said bails or arms standing at right angles to said loops or frames, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo witnesses.

HENRY O. CUMINGH AM.

WVitnesses:

H. S. CLARK, F. WV. STOUT. 

